Michael Klein: Dialing up a new Chestnut Hill eatery

Chestnut 7 , named for the old CH7 telephone exchange, has a large bar, too. Just days old, it's open for dinner for now.

By Michael Klein, Inquirer Columnist

Posted: July 31, 2011

Heeding the call for a casual spot with a large bar in Chestnut Hill is the days-old Chestnut 7 (8201 Germantown Ave., 215-247-7777), a modern redo of Solaris Grille. (By "call," I'm also referring to the name, a takeoff on the old CH7 phone exchange.)

Chestnut 7, for now open for dinner, is a partnership of Kevin Clibanoff, who owns Bridget's and KC's Alley in Ambler, and Brian Harrington, whose Public House Investments runs such city spots as the Public House, City Tap House, and Mission Grill.

What's coming up

Chef Joey Baldino, whose Zelig-like career has had him working alongside such names as Marc Vetri (he was chef de cuisine), Georges Perrier, Michael Solomonov, Jose Garces, Alice Waters, and Daniel Boulud, is looking for a mid-August rollout of Zeppoli (618 Collings Ave., Collingswood), a casual, homey 35-seat Sicilian BYOB. Web site is up: www.zeppolirestaurant.com.

Due within two weeks: MilkBoy Coffee at 11th and Chestnut Streets, a bar/music venue serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Yong Chi plans to cross Broad Street this fall for a companion to Giwa, his casual Korean hit at 16th and Sansom Streets. There's no name yet for the BYOB he's prepping at 1207 Walnut St.

In brief

Last weekend marked the finale of Catelli, which had been in the Main Street Complex in Voorhees for nearly 17 years. Operators plan a more casual concept nearby.

Shanks Uptown, which left 120 S. 15th St. recently, has a new occupant: Enzo's, a sandwichery run by Vincent Tagliente and wife Maria Pistorio. It's open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays.

Bring quarters on weekends to Cafe Estelle, Marshall Green's fine, casual bruncherie at 444 N. Fourth St. The apartment building now has a gate so that only residents can park in the lot, sending outsiders to the meters on the street. The lot is free Tuesdays through Fridays.

Restaurant week

Center City District's next Center City Restaurant Week, which starts Sept. 12, is getting a locavore side. Through a partnership with Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corp.'s Philly Homegrown, participating chefs are being encouraged to include locally grown ingredients in certain dishes. Also this time out, the Center City District is developing an online cookbook called Center City Cooks to coincide with restaurant week, which runs Sept. 12-16 and Sept. 18-23. Nearly 120 restaurants will offer $35 three-course dinner options, and 51 eateries will offer three-course lunches for $20; details: centercitydistrict.org.